Report from the Orchard

Dan.NYMay 14, 2012

I had not seen my orchard since before the snow and 2 days of 25 degree weather. I was expecting it to be bad.

My two asian pear trees where blossoms were totally open have ZERO fruit. The weather had to do them in. A few blackish, dead flowers can be seen. Some edges of leaves are black and I am worried this is fireblight now.

My bartlett seems to have kept its fruit, at least a fair crop. Blossoms were not totally open which must have helped. This tree also has some black edged leaves.

My two reliance peach trees, which both had fully opened blossoms, kept a healthy crop of peaches. Though they appear to have leaf curl. I did spray copper on them in the dormant spring time and expected it to disappear. Guess I need to hit it again. My other peach, a 2 year old redstar, had a few blossoms and now has none. I must say the reliance lived up to its reputation as cold hardy. I didnt think any peaches would survive that.

My apples have kept the blossoms. None were open, a few were in tight pink stage. I think all escaped the cold with minimal damage.

Things look a bit strange to me this year. Granted my experience is limited but it looks like everything blossomed at different times. I have some trees that have small almost pea sized apples already, and on the same tree I have a few open blossoms just about ready for petal fall.

The golden delicious is the most curious. The bottom half roughly of the tree is done blossoming and does not have the bulk of the blossoms. The top about half is in full bloom and is blooming like gang busters. Everything is nearly done except for this crazy GD. A very few blossoms are open on maybe 3 other trees, but they are 95-99% done. I am afraid there is nothing else really open to pollinate the GD.

My home orchard of 17 assorted fruit trees is in 2 locations here in SE WI. My North Star cherry in my backyard has a good crop of cherries despite the numerous frosts we hd while in bloom. MY Reliance peach in my backyard has a light crop of peaches.

15 minutes away in the country is where the rest of my trees are at my brother-in-law's farm. A very open windy site. My peaches at this site were just covered with flowers yet due to heavy frost have just a handful of peaches on each. Same story on the Mesabi and Balaton cherries.

The apples flowered but appear to be a total loss. I found one nice apple on the McIntosh but the rest of the appples have fruits that are yellowing up and dropping off.
My only hope is that my Northern Spy might have fruit since
it bloomed after most of the frosts (assuming it got pollinated).

At least the grapes and raspberries seem to be ok! I think
I will have something I can pick this year. Sad year to be
growing fruit.